FINAL plans for the £15million Blaenavon Community Campus are set to be approved by councillors tomorrow.
Proposals for the new campus include a “village” arrangement which will feature a leisure centre, a 130-place nursery, a 450-place primary school and a health care centre.
The campus will replace the Blaenavon Leisure Centre and swimming pool which was demolished in 2008.
Other plans for the campus include community facilities such as a two-court sports hall, dance studio, fitness suite and multi-use games area as well as a car parking area.
The campus will be funded by Torfaen Council and Torfaen Local Health Board.
An application for the development was originally approved in June last year but a new application was submitted in March.
This was to address issues including landscaping, layout and appearance of the school and leisure centre part of the development.
But residents who fought bitterly to save their swimming pool and leisure centre say they are still not happy with the proposal.
Chairman of campaign group Blaenavon Leisure and Swimming Troubleshooters, John Beavan, said: “The leisure centre and swimming pool was without doubt a big loss to the community.
"Although we suggested at the public consultations that we wanted to see a swimming pool, I think we have now accepted there isn't going to be one.
“There’s also issues such as the sports hall they’re proposing which doesn’t seem big enough for adults to use.”
Councillors are recommended to approve the plans at a meeting tomorrow subject to a number of conditions including that all work carried out is approved by the local planning authority and that no trees or hedgerows on the approved plan are destroyed. If given the go-ahead, work is due to start within the next few months.
Leader of Torfaen Council, Cllr Bob Wellington said: "This project is a first of its kind in the area and the building will be state-of-the-art. We are very much looking forward to it and the benefits it will bring."
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